Massage has been and is still used by many cultures around the world, with its roots dating back into Ancient China, India and Greece. Many ancient writings from Egyptian and Persian to Japanese and Indian Vedic writings refer to the use of a variety of remedial techniques of massage and physical therapy.

In about 500 B.C. the famous “Father of Medicine”, Hippocrates of Cos taught “rubbing and anatripsis” to his students. Asclepiades, another eminent Greek Physician, held the practise of this art in such esteem that he abandoned the use of medicines, relying exclusively on massage, which he claimed effects a cure by restoring the nutritive fluids to their natural, free movement.

In the time of Jesus, anointing with oils and the washing and massaging of feet were practiced for reverence and relaxation. Jesus himself used His hands to soothe and bring comfort to the suffering. Julius Caesar had himself daily pinched for neuralgia and to help relieve a severe nervous disorder. Celsus and Galen, two of the famous Roman Physicians referred to “rubbing”, “Apotherapeia” and “Unction”.

Even before the civilizations of Greece and Rome, China was developing an advanced Medical System which included pressure and rubbing on muscles and meridian points. They developed a system which was designed to not only have local effects on the muscles but also reflex to the internal organs to improve their function. An ancient Chinese Text, “The Cong-Fou of the Tao-Tse”, of which a French translation appeared about 150 years ago, was probably the foundation of the Swedish movement, which were well elaborated and systematized by Per Henrik Ling of Sweden. Since the French brought Chinese massage to the West, most of the world continues to use the French terminology for massage strokes. Therefore, strokes which glide are called Effleurage; those which knead are called Petrissage; those which strike are called Tapotement; those which compress are called Friction and those which shake are Vibration.

Ling was a fencing Master and Instructor of Gymnastics. He began a study of massage after he cured himself of rheumatism in the arms and developed a method which consisted of massage and medical gymnastics. He based his system on Physiology which was just then emerging as a science. Through his ardent study and dedication, Ling won acceptance for his ideas. In 1813 the first College to include massage in the curriculum, called the Royal Gymnastic Central Institute, was established in Stockholm at the expense of the Swedish Government. Ling died in 1839, his students subsequently published his theories and Ling’s system soon became known in most of the western world.

In the last 100 years massage has come into more widespread use and developed as a science and art through the work of authorities such as Sir William Bennett, Sir Robert Jones, Dr Douglas Graham and Mary McMillan of England; Albert J. Hoffa of Germany; Johann Mezger of Holland and James B. Mennell, Gertrude Beard and James Cyriax of America. Each of them and many others contributed significantly to greater public acceptance of the remedial value of massage. Osteopathy, founded in America by Andrew Taylor Still also has contributed to our present techniques of soft-tissue therapy. More recently, many variations and forms of “Bodywork” have been researched and popularized. This includes the work of Ida Rolf (Rolfing or Structural Integration); F. Matthais Alexander (The Alexander Technique); Moshe Feldenkrais (Functional Integration); Eunice Ingham (Reflexology); Dr. George Goodheart (Applied Kinesiology and Touch for Health); Dr. Randolph Stone (Polarity Therapy); Tom Bowen (The Bowen Technique), John F. Barnes P.T. ( Myofascial Release), and others. Massage and Remedial Therapies continue to develop as we gain more understanding of the the process of the Body and Mind.